


Unfinished Business

by dead_daydreamer_jpg



Category: Suits (US TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Caring Harvey, Donna is Donna, Donna knows everything, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Men Crying, POV Harvey Specter, Past Relationship(s), Teacher Mike Ross, harvey has feelings, mike ross - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:21:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29257380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dead_daydreamer_jpg/pseuds/dead_daydreamer_jpg
Summary: Donna stares at him, empty glass in her hand. The room stills as if its fate agreeing with her as she utters the words “ You can’t force chemistry to exist where it doesn’t in the same way you can’t deny it when it does, Harvey”Perking up, not sure when he looked away. “You and Mike have nothing but chemistry. The only question now is how long are you gonna deny it. How many more times are you going to force it away.” She isn’t asking him this to get the answers because they both know he can’t give them.He’s not sure how to answer them and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid because it feels like the world is falling on him right now. The fear of the unknown is a heavyweight on his chest nowadays. Nevertheless, there is one thing he is sure about, Mike and him have unfinished business.
Relationships: Mike Ross/Harvey Specter
Kudos: 36





	Unfinished Business

**Author's Note:**

> this is an AU where after Mike got out of prison he went to college but for a teaching degree instead. This is also set in after Jessica left the firm and Harvey is having to run it. Rachel and Mike called off the wedding permanently in this as well. I am fully aware this is a huge stretch on the cannon but I had a plot bunny and this is what came out of it. Regardless, I hope this is enjoyable and somehow brings a smile to your face. Side note this is written from Harvey’s point of view.

Ever since Mike went to prison Harvey has been a mess they all have but Harvey specifically can’t seem to get his head on straight. He finds himself stopping by the bullpen just to stare at the empty cubicle until Louis finds him or Donna gently drags him away. The working associates know better than to say anything and as for Jessica, she is cleaning up the damage he can’t focus enough to fix. Harvey Specter wouldn’t be Harvey Specter if he didn’t play it off with some logical explanation that only makes sense to him or if he didn’t push everyone and anything under the sun away for the first few weeks. On the rougher days, he opens some of their old cases just to see his handwriting because he missed seeing the chicken scratch on worn sticky notes; and when those days seem endlessly long Donna opens the scotch. 

The silence took even longer to get used to. Mike was the only person who ever dared to storm right into his office with whatever was on his clever brain, quoting movies and sharing stupid stories with each other when they worked overtime. He has to be grateful though not many people know Mike for who he really is and Harvey knows he’s lucky to be blessed with that gift. 

Yeah, Mike is a gift to everyone inside and outside the firm. 

In the first month, some of Mike’s old clients gave their condolences along with a message to send to the blue-eyed puppy the next time he would see him. He wasn’t dead but it didn’t take a genius to know Mike was never going to practice law again, no law school was thinking about taking him after his arrest was put in the news. 

He remembers telling Mike that and how he didn’t seem surprised as he had already come to terms with it. Still, Mike didn’t hesitate to reassure him on how he didn’t regret it and how “all things considered, I would still do it again”.

No matter how many months go by Harvey still visits more than he should but somehow it isn’t enough. Harvey never felt like he was there enough but he at the same time he didn’t want to annoy Mike or interrupt Rachel from having the closest thing to private time they would get in two years. He isn’t surprised that their relationship didn’t work out but it still burned his eyes to see Mike in such distress about it and with Rachel still working in the firm he can’t help but feel bad for her, she simply made the worst mistake of her life.

Two years. 

Two fucking years.

It sounds so simple but it felt like forever, probably longer for Mike. Neither of them can complain about the sentence; it's less than he would have normally gotten but it still feels so unfair, so cruel. Mike was a good man, genuinely, he didn’t want to be a lawyer for the money or power, he wanted to help people and he cared about every client he ever had. Sure, he didn’t make the best decisions but he wasn’t faking being a lawyer to screw people over. It just seemed so undeserving. Hell, even the jury didn’t think he was guilty. 

Thankfully, it’s been a few years since Mike was released. Harvey pulled himself together a while back but the damage from seeing his protege in handcuffs for a crime they both committed will leave the closer’s black heart scarred forever. They don’t talk much anymore and he understands why, Mike is a teacher now who works long hours just like Harvey does. Furthermore, it isn’t exactly a good look for Harvey to be seen with his ex-associate who was arrested for fraud. 

Truth be told they have a million reasons not to do anything more than a phone call every once in a while that doesn’t make his heartbreak any less though. He can’t complain. He doesn’t have the right to and he knows that but he remembers seeing Mike walk in and out of the prison gates, same blue eyes just a tiny bit older looking. He must admit Mike ages well, in fact, he’s pretty convinced it’s just the stress that made him look older on his day of release. 

Things at the firm are way different now, he’s managing partner, Louis and him share their names on the wall. Specter Litt. Jessica went to Chicago with Jeff to start a new life, a new firm. Rachel followed a year or two after, she was one foot out the door anyway. Now, it was up to Louis and him to keep the firm together. 

The adjustment was rough, clients left more than they came and every day was a new list of problems they didn’t know how to fix. Harvey often found himself calling Jessica or visiting her for advice, he’ll never openly admit that though. It took longer than everyone would have liked but they figured it out, the firm is just as strong as Jessica had once built it and Harvey couldn’t be more proud. 

However, not everything has changed. Sure, he has a new office and Donna has a bigger desk. The wall has two new names on it and more nameless associates fill the bullpen every morning. Even with all of that he finds himself sitting at his desk as the sun sets wishing he was watching it with Mike. He’s tried moving on, sleeping with other women even went to Scottie to see if that would get it to go away. 

It. 

Whatever this longing feeling is. This nameless sadness he can’t seem to shake when he looks at his couch too long or when he passes that wall because he’s sure everyone agrees Mike’s name belongs there too. 

Donna talks to him during those nights and every time it happens he thinks he’ll feel better but it doesn’t do anything but make him miss the younger male more. 

Sure, he’s missed people before, he misses his dad like crazy and often plays his music just to get the taste of home but this was different. The way he longs for Mike is completely and utterly unique. A feeling so strong he wonders if he’s the only one that feels it. 

Donna says it’s love but he doesn’t believe it. Even if it was what was he going to do? Call him and confess? What would he even say? How does anyone even go about doing that. Furthermore, he didn’t want to burden Mike’s future any more than he already has. Mike is doing so much better for himself now, living without the fear of being caught all the time. While Mike has never said he regrets their lie sometimes Harvey believes he does but he himself certainly does but not because they got caught but because Harvey couldn’t make it better. 

Tonight was one of the harder nights where the weight on his chest feels heavier than usual and the day didn’t seem to end. Donna stays back, thanking God it was a Friday so they didn’t have to obey by their own drinking limit they made for nights like these. 

The ginger in a blue slim fitted dress takes her seat across from his desk. It’s a little chilly so she has a thin zip-up jacket draped over her arms, her hair in a messy bun. These nights bring a very laid back attitude to both of them. He watched her with a smug grin as she struggled to get the brand new bottle open. 

“Need a hand” He offered not hiding the laugh that earned him her glare.

“Does it look like I need your help?”

“Do you really want me to answer that or would you like to maintain plausible deniability for later?” Harvey responds but she gets the bottle open and leaves him to pour his own glass out of payback. 

A few glasses go down in silence, enjoying it while it lasts because it’s not like they don’t talk about this all the time. It’s like beating a dead horse at this point but Harvey can’t help but come back to it and Donna is too good of a friend to not do anything. In fact, she has never seen him this broken about something. She would be the one lying if she said it didn’t scare her sometimes. 

“I caught feelings like a damn amateur.” His tone is bleak when he finally speaks, eyes fixed on the half-filled glass. 

She perks up from her own “Yeah, you did but we all are an amateur at something” he can tell she’s trying to get him to look at the positives of this but he can’t when these nights just keep getting harder and harder. 

Then Harvey laughs, it’s small and not charismatic but it’s still unexpected. “You know we kissed once?” He asked in a smug tone because he knows she didn’t.

It’s true though, they did kiss. When Mike was released he lived with Harvey for a bit till things for college were set and one awkward conversation led to another and Harvey made his move. 

Mike didn’t pull away and Harvey often dreams he didn’t wake up the next morning and acted like it never happened.

“What?” Is her immediate reaction, face reading a level of confusion. “When?” is her next question. 

“When he lived with me, a few months after he got out. He was having these nightmares about prison and so we stayed up together when either of us could fall back asleep” He explains, drinking what is left in his glass but Donna takes it to fill it back up. She wants his full attention on telling her this story. “One thing led to another and he was talking about how he doesn’t regret it and thanking me for just giving him a chance and..” he stops himself, running a hand down his aging face.   
“You made your move.” She fills in the blanks giving him the now full glass.

He couldn’t stop himself, it was like this rush of emotion taking over him. The logical voice in his head being silenced out by the feeling in his heart. The kiss was so perfect, nothing he has ever experienced before and he’s been longing for it ever since. However, he did learn something Mike’s lips were definitely made for his own, and the kid wears strawberry chapstick. 

“Yeah, something like that” He responds, he knows she understands what he wants to say.

“And you still don’t believe you’re in love?” She teased but it did make him think for a second.

“Falling in love is for movies, Donna” He defends weakly. She knows he isn’t ready to admit it but someone has to give him that push. 

Donna stares at him, empty glass in her hand. The room stills as if its fate agrees with her as she utters the words.“ You can’t force chemistry to exist where it doesn’t in the same way you can’t deny it when it does, Harvey” 

Perking up, not sure when he looked away. “You and Mike have nothing but chemistry. The only question now is how long are you gonna deny it. How many more times are you going to force it away.” She isn’t asking him this to get the answers because they both know he can’t give them. 

He’s not sure how to answer them and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t afraid because it feels like the world is falling on him right now. The fear of the unknown is a heavyweight on his chest nowadays. Nevertheless, there is one thing he is sure about, Mike and him have unfinished business.

He nods, genuinely, speechless for a couple of minutes because she’s right. She always is but he’s afraid and yet he’s so tired of being afraid. 

“What if he doesn’t feel the same? What if I show up on his doorstep and ruin everything?” He raises the questions he’s held so close for so long. 

Donna looked at him eyes filled with pity but she spoke with compassion “How much worse can it get? Harvey, look around you. Look at us. Look at what we have been doing for God knows how long” She starts, making valid points in hopes to mute the fear. 

It does very little, he’s grateful for her trying though. 

“You’re in love with him and he’s in love with you and it’s like a goddamn tragedy because you look at him and see the stars and he looks at you and sees the sun and you both think the other is just looking at the ground!” She blurts out, putting her glass on the desk. Slamming it a little too hard. 

“Donna-” he tries but she cuts him off. 

“No.” she is as stern as she can be considering they both are drinking. “No, you aren’t going to wiggle your way out of this. You are going to see him and you're gonna tell him everything” She declares leaving no room for debate. 

“Now, I’m going to call Ray to drive us both home and you two are gonna have dinner this weekend even if I have to drag you there myself.” He only nods as a result of the scotch. 

He found himself thinking about the possibility of dinner during the ride home as if it was set in stone when in reality he hasn’t even asked. He won’t lie; he debated asking Donna to ask from him, fake an emergency, or something but he thinks it would mean more if he did this on his own terms. 

Maybe closure would be easier to find if he did this from start to finish? 

“Does Donna set our own date nights too?” He remembers Mike teasing when walking in the pair discussed what to do for Scottie’s birthday. Harvey thought it was a bright idea to give her scotch because that’s all he really thought of and Donna was trying to explain how unmeaningful the gift was. A few months later it was him and Mike sharing that expensive bottle of scotch over stressful case files and take out. 

“Mr. Specter?” Ray’s concerned tone snaps him out of the memory, his thoughts that have been clouded by the possibility of seeing Mike once more. He perks up at him, giving him a questionable look. “You’re home” He points out with pity in his eyes. Harvey nods like he knew that too, he didn’t. 

Both men knew Harvey wasn’t completely there but neither was going to speak about it. 

Over the years Ray can safely assume he knew Harvey better than he knew himself. He observed the self-proclaimed black-hearted man bring countless girls home, making them giggle the whole ride to the condo Ray swore he knew like his own daughter’s birthday. However, no matter how many countless faces Ray has seen in the backseat nothing quiet stood out as when Mike sat there on his phone or reading papers. He watched the small glances Harvey would pass to Mike when he wasn’t looking and not to mention how Ray’s services were practically given to Mike because Harvey declared “I’m tired of him being late”. Secretly, Ray knows the real reason Harvey gave Mike his number, Harvey didn’t want Mike to get hurt riding that bike during rush hour traffic or possibility gets hit by some asshole driver; just like he knows the real reason Mike never called Ray to pick him up, he didn’t want to be a burden on them. After all, it wasn’t exactly a secret that Mike saw himself as a burden, maybe a genius burden but still a burden nonetheless. Mike preferred to stay out of the way as much as possible, even if he isn’t actually good at that, that's how Ray took it anyway. 

Harvey gets out, giving Ray a small wave and the weekend off tomorrow. Ray stays there for a second to watch how slowly the lawyer walked into the condo before driving off, he needed to make sure whatever was on Harvey’s mind didn’t stop him from entering his condo safely. 

The minimalist aesthetic of his condo is usually welcoming but tonight it just seems like clutter. He has been dreading and looking forward to this phone call, to hearing Mike’s voice no matter what the answer will be. In fact, he is not sure he has much hope for Mike agreeing to dinner but a man can dream and that’s all Harvey has been doing since the ride home. Daydreaming and going through the laundry list of what-ifs because there are too many for his own comfort. 

Letting out a sigh of relief when he opens his fridge to be greeted by a cold beer. The sudden need of needing rest fills him. His knees are weak and he’s truly debating just waiting till tomorrow but he knows that won’t be much better. He has developed this recent habit of thinking sleep will fix it. 

They don’t teach how to deal with heartbreak in Harvard. 

Harvey thinks they should. 

Finally, he sits on his sofa letting the memory foam cushions take the stress away of sitting up straight, staring at Mike’s number on the screen. What was he going to say? What was there to say? What was he supposed to say and what did Mike want to hear? What did he need to hear?

They’re a thousand different things he could say, a thousand different things he wants to say yet a thousand different reasons not to. 

However, he pushes forwards, tapping the call button to feel his heart race as he hears the dial tone go on for what feels like an eternity, and then suddenly it stops and he’s greeted with his voice. 

“Harvey?”

“Mike” is the one thing he can respond with because the sound of Mike’s voice still fogs up his head. Lingering in his memory. 

“Why are you calling at 11:30?” It’s a reasonable question and yet it takes a minute to come up with a reasonable answer, the conversion is still young he didn’t want to ruin it just yet. 

“Things at the office ran later than it usually did and I wanted to call you, wanted to make sure you were okay. We haven’t spoken in a few months” Harvey replies honestly. He hears a sigh of relief on the other hand. Mike was worried about him. It made his heart melt for a second. 

“Thank god, I thought your building caught fire or something” Mike chuckles loosely. “Sorry for not reaching out sooner, it’s just been a mess here. Finals are starting up so the board of education is trying to shove three units worth of lessons in these kids’ heads in under three weeks” He can hear the stress in Mike’s voice and suddenly feels bad for calling. Maybe it was a bad idea to call this late, maybe he shouldn’t let Donna get involved in his love life or lack thereof. 

“So I’m gonna guess it’s a bad time to ask about getting dinner this weekend?” Harvey asked with an apologetic tone. 

“Actually, no...well yes it is but no because I could use a change of scenery and you’re right it’s been far too long since we talked.” To his surprise, Mike agreed and he couldn’t help but beam quietly to himself. Feeling a teenage girl with the urge to text donna about it. 

“Yeah?” He questions because part of him still can’t believe what he just heard.

“Of course, you can catch me up on what it’s like being the managing partner” Mike reassured without a doubt. 

“It’s settled then. Tomorrow night I’ll pick you up?” 

“Yeah” Mike agrees but quietly changes plans like the impulsive child he always has been. “What about lunch instead? Then we can have a movie marathon?” it’s actually a pretty good suggestion and it happens to be an offer he can’t refuse. 

“That eager to get out, huh?” The closer teased, hearing Mike’s matching grin from the other line.

“You have no idea, Batman” Mike replied just as quickly as when they used to work together. Harvey missed those days just as much as the sun missed the moon when it went under. 

“Well, then it’s settled. Lunch and Movie marathon. Just text me your address and i'll be there around oneish” 

“Do you not remember where I live?” Mike mocks 

“Trick question, I remember where you used to live. Last time we talked you said something about moving” Harvey comments all smug like.

“You remember our last conversation?” Mike sounded way too surprised for Harvey’s liking, starting to wonder if Mike believed Harvey still cared about him or if Mike thought so little of him now.

“I may not have your memory but I remember everything that’s happened between us.” his tone ardent as he uttered through those words that feel more like a confession and a death trap at the same time. 

A few couple minutes of silence pass and Harvey is filled with regret, the floor feels like it’s breaking under him but right before he could fall it’s Mike’s voice he hears pulling him back in, away from danger. 

“Show me.” It’s a soft demand that Harvey doesn’t quite understand but he knows enough that Mike’s breathy tone filled with desperation shouldn’t be taken lightly. Furthermore, a new type of tension was put into the air. 

“Text me your address.” It's simple and not very romantic but it’s Harvey’s way of confirming he’s not backing out of this and that speaks volumes to Mike. As for Harvey, he just hopes it’s enough. 

They say their goodbyes and share the excitement of seeing each other tomorrow but when the phone call is done the tension left in Harvey’s condo hasn’t faded. In fact, he's pretty sure it’s gotten worse. The only difference is not the tension between Mike and him anymore it’s tension between him and his fear. 

This panic that was diagnosed in the third month of Mike’s arrest. Donna and Jessica tried talking him into seeing someone and it didn’t work but then Louis got involved. Of course, the man didn’t know what was going on like the other two did but he is smarter than anyone would give him credit for so he took Harvey into his office and told him his story and how he sees more than one shrink. This conversion ended with a few tears spread but the goal of getting Harvey to see someone was met. 

Who knew Louis would be the one to get Harvey to do anything?

Both men don’t talk about it, neither have the desire to but they have a new level of respect for each other. Past the layers of jealousy and rivalry, they were brothers, and that makes a better team than they allow themself to admit. However, they aren’t Batman and Robin type of team but you bet your ass when one of them drops to their knees the other is right there without a second’s notice. That’s what a family does and the firm, regardless of all that’s happened, is a family at its core. 

Mike showed him that. Mike thanked him for giving that family. 

It’s past midnight now and Harvey has just enough energy left to strip into boxers and crawl into bed. Exhaustion isn’t the word for this sudden need to slip into a blissful sleep, it’s the stress wearing on him. The unhappiness becoming a normal thing to wake up next. Of course, he tired but he’s even more tired of being tired. Sleep can’t fix that and Harvard doesn’t teach that either.

Pulling the covers over his almost numb feeling body as sleep takes over. Dreaming about whatever comes into his head. Removing him from reality. It’s a nice escape that he found comfort in because good things last forever in dreamland, flowers don’t dry out, parents don’t die and asshole friends don’t exist, love is something far less complicated. 

It’s around late breakfast and when he’s done obsessing over what to wear and actually gets ready, he has just enough time to get there. Thankfully, he remembers to check his text messages for the address Mike sent just a few minutes after their phone call has ended. He called the car club ahead of time with the demand he was going to be using the 1960’s Thunderbird this evening, they know better than to say no to the best closer in New York. 

Grabbing the keys and heading out the door so anxious about what’s going to happen in the next few hours that he almost forgets to lock the door behind him. He would be lying if he said he wanted to run from this, not show up and play it off like their kiss but Harvey knows what life is like without Mike and he isn’t going to let his almost crippling fear get in the way of at least trying to make this ready. He owns that to Mike, he owns that to himself. He needs to make this right for all the times he couldn’t all the times he didn’t have the right words to say, all the times he didn’t hold Mike closer when he needed him, and for all the times he didn’t turn himself in to save him. 

It’s no secret that Harvey would do whatever he had to, to keep Mike out of harm’s way but only Donna really understood that if Mike was ever threatened Harvey would hunt them down to the ends of the earth to make them pay; just like she knew that if Harvey ever asked Mike would frame everyone at the firm for murder without a second thought. 

Moving heaven and earth for each other was just second nature. She finds herself wondering how the hell did they end up like this. She mourns for them from a distance because while she can’t see how many sleepless nights Mike has been through since he stepped away she knows he’s had them. 

The drive to downtown Manhattan was surprisingly calm, rush hour traffic was dying down and the breeze was perfect. It started to feel like spring again. Cherry blossoms blooming and cute couples sharing coffee and smooth conversions at bus stops, animals showing themselves on the sidewalks. Everything felt so alive it set the perfect mood for when he pulled into Mike’s driveway to see him sitting at his pouch. 

Seeing him stand up in a casual yet cozy-looking sweater and skinny jeans, he can’t help but stare and admire the younger male in front of him. He went speechless and he’s sure Mike noticed because he smirked and spun mockingly.

“I thought you were a teacher, not a dancer?” Harvey mocks in return as he watches Mike skip to the passenger side, getting in and gently closing the door because they both appreciate the classical car.

“Dance teachers are a thing you know?” a sharp reply that brings nothing less but a smile to his face. 

“Well then remind me next time you have a recital, I gotta see this” Harvey teases, pulling out of the driveway

“What do you think I can’t teach a group of teenagers to dance!” Mike throws his hands in the air as if he was offended, they both know he’s a high school teacher for a reason. 

“The chicken dance isn’t a dance, Robin” Mike rolls his eyes playfully at Harvey’s even sharper comment. 

As for the drive to lunch and condo, it was perfect and Harvey almost talked himself out of not saying anything at all but he reminds himself it was now or never. He needs closure and he was hoping Mike did too. Loose banter and catching up the entire time, everything was so much better than he imagined it would be. It’s like no matter how much time they spend apart they picked right back where they left off. 

However, that didn’t last when they were in the condo. Sitting across from each other near the fireplace a bottle of whiskey between them because Harvey was getting tired of the taste of scotch recently. 

“Is this when you show me?” Mike starts before Harvey could. Although, he’s not sure he had the strength to start this part. Everything he’s ever wanted is right in front of him and he’s scared shitless to say the wrong too. To let history repeat itself and he’s left alone again. 

“It is” He confirms, tone anxious because he’s not sure how to do this. He’s never done something like this no matter how strongly he felt about someone but Mike was different, a good difference.

“You said you remembered everything that happened. That includes the kiss?” Mike challenges and suddenly he feels like this is a deposition. He internally smiles at the nostalgia he gets from the assertiveness in Mike’s voice. Harvey remembers a time when it wasn’t there at all.

Harvey takes a sip of his beer and gives a confirming nod before putting it down. This was it, time to empty out their closet. “I do, I remember it all. From the moment that brought on the kiss to the last thing, you said before I silenced you” 

Mike sighs and Harvey can’t tell what he’s thinking because isn’t looking up anymore. Mike’s eyes are fixed on the ground and he can only assume the kid is trying to get his bearings because it’s been years since that kiss happened and Harvey let him think that it was nothing. 

“Then why didn't you say anything?” Mike perked up because he needs answers to. They both do. 

Harvey has the answer but it isn’t the one he thinks Mike wants but in all honesty, he’s not sure what he wants either. All he knows is Mike didn’t pull away.

“Why have you been avoiding me?” Harvey answers because he knows deep down he thinks both questions can be answered with the same stone. 

“Because…” The younger male starts like he’s overcome with emotion but stops. Harvey raises an eyebrow now knowing the kid learned to stop himself before saying something. That would have been useful when they worked together, that would have saved him a lot of time cleaning up the puppy’s mess. 

“Do you love me?” That takes Harvey by surprise. The way he says it with such confidence like he’s fearless of the answer. Harvey just looks at him and wishes he could feel like he could breathe. 

“It’s a simple question, Harvey” Mike tries again to get something out of him because he hasn’t said anything. He doesn’t know what to say. So much is on the line he’s not sure he wants to risk it. 

“It’s not a simple answer” He tries to reason but his voice is hoarse. He blames the beer but the truth is they both hear the desperation in his voice. 

He knows Mike can read between the lines of everything he says but what he has come to learn is Mike is tired of reading people, he wants to hear it. As for Harvey, he can’t talk feelings for shit. They are the perfect recipe for late-night arguments and lonely nights but even knowing that Harvey still has this undying feeling for the man in front of him. He has to try, he has to.

“I thought you would say that” Mike sighed, he sounded like he had already accepted it. He hated the way that tone sounded on him. Harvey watched as Mike pushed his hair back and down his neck. He’s glad that he isn’t the only one stressed out by this. 

“When I was with Rachel-” Mike starts back up again and Harvey can’t help but cut him off, he’s jealous and kinda hurt that he brought her up while they were trying to talk about them.

“Rachel? Really? We are trying to talk about us and you wanna talk about your ex?” Harvey defensively comments.

“Oh please, you used to bring Scottie to your office while we were working in it. You don’t see me complaining” Mike counters and he’s right. Harvey always wondered why he never said anything but he did take note that Mike left more tired-looking than he did on nights where she wasn’t around. 

“But if you let me continue then you would understand why I brought her up” Mike adds and Harvey nods, giving him permission to continue. “When I was with Rachel there was always something missing. Sure, the sparks were there and everything we felt was real but as time went on..” he cleared his throat. “After she cheated on me things were never the same but it was manageable. When I was arrested she pushed me away because no matter what she says she will never forgive me for being a fraud and what I put her through.”

“Mike…” He sighs, speechless. He looks at him with pity.

“I’m not telling you this for pity” Mike quickly reassured. “I’m telling you this because she said something once during one of our arguments and ever since she said it I can’t seem to unsee it.” the younger male cleared his throat again. “She said ‘it’s like you and Harvey speak a secret language no one else understands’ and at first I thought she was crazy but the more I thought about it, it came together. You and I have spent years fighting by each other sides, crushing the bad guys, and got away with breaking the law, and somehow even when we were caught we came out with the upper hand” Mike’s tone is ardent but he stays silent after that, picking up his beer. 

“What are you saying, Mike?” he croaks

“I’m saying the real reason I have been avoiding you these last few months is that I have fallen in love with you. It happened a long long time ago and I keep pushing you away because I’m afraid” Mike admits with tears in his eyes, he’s fidgeting with his hands that are resting quietly against his mouth.

A weight feels like it’s been lifted off of his shoulders, the sudden relief of Mike’s words almost makes him forget how the other male is on the verge of a breakdown because he hasn’t said anything. 

Quickly, Harvey springs to action and kneels down on one knee in front of Mike. taking the smaller hand in his and when Mike perks up with confusion Harvey makes his move for a second time. 

He kissed him and just like last time he tastes the strawberry chapstick only this time it’s muted by beer. Harvey isn’t complaining because right now he’s in paradise just like the last time, speaking of which Mike isn’t pulling away either. In fact, he pulled Harvey closer until they needed air.

“Harvey, this better mean what I think it means because I can’t deal with losing you again” Mike croaks desperately, their foreheads pressed together.

Harvey’s chest tightens that the thought of losing Mike not to mention seeing him in such distress, it always bothered him and now he knew why. 

“Rookie, you aren’t going to lose me ever again. Not in this lifetime.”He reassures but he feels the need to say more.

“Mike, I’m good at a lot of things but confessions aren’t one of them but the first time I met you it wasn’t love at first sight my love for you formed gradually. Your personality, your voice, the way you challenged me daily, your eyes, your humor, your everything. Gradually it all came clear to me while you were in prison, you are exactly what I need and I don’t ever want to live in a world where you aren’t next to me” It all comes pouring out in a slow, still, breathy voice. All the things he’s only told donna about are now out in the open. 

“Harvey..” Mike melts and it is the cutest thing Harvey has ever seen. “I love you” the younger male adds as he never breaks eye contact with him even with his face all flushed. 

Maybe Donna was right, it was love.

Maybe was wrong about love being for movies because this right here was paradise. 

One thing he knew for sure though is their unfinished business created a new chapter in both their lives and suddenly he isn’t so tired anymore.

“I love you too, puppy”


End file.
